The WASH Program at St Raphael in Haiti: Waterborne Illnesses - Article Example

Hand Washing In Saint Raphael Haiti Name Institution Hand Washing In Saint Raphael Haiti Problem Hand hygiene is the primary way to reduce infections, but lack of compliance among Health care workers and citizens contribute to the problem. Hand washing properly can help prevent the spread of organisms that cause diseases. Background and Introduction Haiti is a Caribbean country and has the nickname ‘La perle des Antilles due to its natural magnificence. Haiti is among the top three largest Caribbean countries. It is along the Western region of Hispaniola and it lays between latitudes 180 and 200 North. 1. The nation’s topography is mainly inclusive of rocky highlands intermingled with minute littoral plains and river valleys. Haiti is estimated to have a population of 350 people per square kilometer. Majority of the people live in the urban areas and the total population was estimated to be 10.1 million in the year 2011. Majority of the current Haitians are descendants of the African slaves and a few white revolt survivors. There is a lot of current pressure on water systems and the coastal regions due to the rapidly growing population. The ecological capacity to offer basic environmental requirements is highly compromised. Haiti’s GDP has dropped significantly within the last few years and the country has inadequate skilled labor. It was stated that more than half of the population live below $2 per day. Majority of the Haitians are employed in the agricultural sector; however, the country depends largely on agricultural imports to satisfy its food demands. In the year 2009, it was estimated that majority of Haitians live in extreme poverty with majority of teenagers working as restavecs. 4. Current Uses of the Water Resources Majority of the Haiti population lack access to clean water and only a small percentage of the population have access to sanitary facilities. Haiti is among the most water stressed countries in the globe. The country is estimated to have only 1660 water resources per capita cubic meters which is below the set threshold. 1. There is possibility of ground water in the rocky regions and along the coastal regions but the access to these sources has not been possible for a majority of the citizens. Only a small number of water treatment facilities have been successful in the country. Soil erosion has and deforestation has been one of the major facilitators of lessening water quality in the country. The rainfall patterns of Haiti offer inconsistent water to the citizens; while some get inadequate, others get excess. Haiti’s most significant valley in terms of agriculture is the Plain de I’Artibonite which is located at the Southern region of Montagnes Noires. The country’s biggest river is found in this region and it supports agricultural activities in this region. Also, there are various offshore islands such as Tortuga which favor agricultural activities. The country’s water system is composed of watersheds, wetlands, and river basins. Haiti is alienated into 33 watersheds units which are composed of more than 150 rivers, 4 of which are contemplated to be trans-boundary watersheds. The largest watershed is the Fleuve de I’Artibonite . Watersheds comprise the most significant fresh water system in Haiti and inc;ude lakes and ponds. The major lakes include Azuei and Peligre and the major pond is Etand de Miragoane 1. Haiti has portions of tropical and the Warm Temperate climate. The country’s climate is affected by the location and the many mountains. The climate of the plains is majorly tropical monsoonal whereas the montane region is subtropical. Consequently, the windward region of the mountain has humid environment while the leeward side experience sub-humid environment. Majority of the precipitation results from the North East Trade Winds and the Eastern Winds. The country experiences site specific rainfall which results from topographic factors. For instance, mountains interrupt precipitation in such a manner that the heaviest rainfall; is experienced on the North Coast mountains and the South West Peninsula. Deforestation has increased with the increase in population due to high demand for energy. Deforestation is the main origin of erosion in Haiti. The destruction of vegetative cover has negatively affected the fresh water sources in the country. Increased deforestation will lead to increased probability of erosion of upper waters and extinction of the domestic water sources. Haiti is faced by major water supply and sanitation problems. The water surfaces are prone to domestic and industrial contamination because sewer systems and water treatment facilities are inadequate in the urban regions. Most of domestic and industrial waste water is drained into the water systems which poses threats to the quality of water available for domestic use. Majority of the citizens take water from unprotected wells, springs, and rivers which pose serious health threats. Currently, Haiti has not yet established national standards for water quality and National authorities utilize the WHO standards 7, 8. Ground water includes continuous and discontinuous aquifers and saltwater intrusion is major concern for ground water contamination. The aquifers have been contaminated due to deforestation, unforeseen water pumping, and exposed quarries which has resulted to a decrease in the water table level leading to invasion of sea water into aquifers. Standards for Saint Raphael St Raphael is a community of more than 80,000 inhabitants at the Northern region of Haiti. It is situated in a vale between a few mountains with a river separating the countryside from the town. It is an agricultural region. 2- 4. The community has 18 wells but the water is not fit for drinking; however, people still drink it leading to numerous water-borne illnesses. The major method of water treatment is the use of chlorine which is supplied by non-governmental organizations. However, the community members do not like this method of water treatment and some do not take into consideration. The local Haiti Outreach water.org has implemented various cleansing and hygiene programs among the inhabitants of St Raphael and rehabilitative wells have been constructed in the community to cater for the people’s needs. 6. Every community has got water committees who undergo training programs to acquire knowledge on effective management of wells. Currently the committee is now undertaking effective management of the wells. 5- 7. The committee members engage in the training and educating the public. Jointly, the committee members and the community leaders work together to construct latrines in hospitals and schools to prevent chronic illnesses. Hand washing is very significant in prevention of infections. Disease causing microbes may be generally transmitted by getting into contact with another person. Microbes may also be transferred by getting into contact with contaminated surfaces and objects. Proper hand washing involve the use of soap and rinsing under running water. The government of Haiti has launched programs such as the Mistere des Travaux Publiques and the Unite de Reforme du Secteur en Eau Potable which play a significant role in the educating the public concerning the importance of proper sanitization. 4. The programs also aim at improving sanitization in the urban areas of the country and preservation of the natural water reservoirs. The community is educated on how to maintain personal hygiene so as to prevent the spread of water borne diseases. Washing of hands is one of the major methods to maintain personal hygiene. Individuals should not drink untreated water. Various WASH programs have been launched in St Raphael since the year 2010. The United Nations and other NGOs such as the Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods have been involved in this program. The WASH program is significant for community involvement in finding solutions to sanitization problem in Haiti. 3. WASH program aims at engaging the general community towards long term behavioral transformation so that it will be able to deal with current issues on its own. It aims at educating the public on disease eradication through hygiene practices such as hand washing. In most cases there are no enough funds allocated for the WASH programs in St. Raphael. In most instances, the water safety policies are not applicable at community level. The WASH program has resulted to improvement of the general hand hygiene at community level. The WASH program requires high maintenance costs and long term operations which require a lot of funds. Another great challenge that faces the WASH program includes project cancelations 3. There are numerous reasons why the projects get cancelled such as social reasons, rivaling groups and political disputes. Various communities may reject program implementation due to cultural and ethnic reasons leading to project termination. Conclusion This paper has discussed the WASH program at St. Raphael in Haiti. The country lacks proper sanitization which exposes the citizens to various water borne illnesses. There have been various attempts by both governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve water supply and sanitization in Haiti and its major towns such as St Raphael. Hand washing prevents the spread of various illnesses such as diarrhea, acute respiratory illnesses, eye infections, and intestinal nematode infections. These illnesses are contacted by touching the eyes, mouth, or nose with contaminated hands. The WASH program aims at educating the public on how to overcome issues related to poor water systems and sanitization. References 1. Baker R. Universities for Ushahidi: A Curriculum for Crisis Mapping. Journal of Map & Geography Libraries. 2012; 8(2): 173-176. 2. De Rochars VEB, Tipret J, PatrickM, et al. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to treatment and prevention of cholera, Haiti, 2010. Emerging infectious diseases. 2011; 17(11): 2158. 3. Fung ICH, Fitter DL, Borse RH, Meltzer, MI, Tappero, JW. Modeling the effect of water, sanitation, and hygiene and oral cholera vaccine implementation in Haiti. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. 2013; 89(4): 633-640. 4. Gelting R, Bliss K, Patrick M, Lockhart G, Handzel, T. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Haiti: Past, Present, and Future. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene. 2013; 89(4): 665-670. 5. 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